The song is written by singer and guitarist Katy Steele and features Paul Kelly on backing vocals and harmonica, but for live performances and in the music video for the song, bassist Scott ('Barney') O'Donoghue plays the harmonica.
The experience of working with Paul just reminded me of why he’s such a legend. It wasn’t like he just rocked up to the studio to do a session – he really poured everything into it. We kinda felt like he joined our band for that day and that was a pretty great feeling.
— Katy Steele
The song, according to Matt Chequer, was a last minute addition to the album while the band recorded at Melbourne's Sing Sing Studios.
Brother was one of the later songs Katy wrote, but she didn’t actually think it was that good. She showed us late one afternoon when we’d had a bit of a crap day. She said, ‘Ah, well I’ve got this song’ and we were all blown away by it. We recorded it there and then and it pretty much stayed like that for the album. I thought the song would sound good with a harmonica on it, but we didn’t really know anyone who could play harmonica apart from Paul Kelly. Katy gave him a call to see if he’d be interested. He was up for it and in town, so it worked really well. I dunno what it is about their two voices, because separately you’d think that they wouldn’t work, but they do sound really lovely together I think.
— Matt Chequer
In an interview on Triple J when Steele was queried whether the song was about her brother Luke, she responded "It's about a lot of things. I don't write songs about one thing. I mean yeah, obviously the first line is about him but y'know the second line is about my Dad and the third line's about my Mama. It's really just about family."
Brother
Little Birdy Lyrics
Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴
My Papa he taught me how to cry
Wait for me, wait for me to show you
Wait for me, wait for me to show you
My Mama she touched me down my soul
And I feel it
I feel it most
So show me your soul and I'll show you mine
So who's gonna love you now baby?
Who's gonna love you now baby?
When you're done fighting that war at sea
Get on that ship and sail back to me
So who's gonna love you now baby?
Who's gonna love you now baby?
When you're done fighting that war at sea
Get on that ship and sail back to me
Who's gonna love you now baby?
Who's gonna love you now baby?
When you're done fighting that war at sea
Get on that ship and sail back to me
Get on that ship and sail back to me
In Little Birdy's song "Brother," the lyrics convey a sense of family and the irreplaceable bond between siblings. The opening lines, "My Brother he taught me how to fly, My Papa he taught me how to cry," refer to the influence that family members have on shaping our lives. The lines "Wait for me, wait for me to show you" could represent the idea of one sibling leading the other towards growth and self-discovery.
The next lines, "My Mama she touched me down my soul And I feel it, I feel it most," show the importance of the mother-child relationship and how a mother's love can touch our very being. The repeated lines "So show me your soul and I'll show you mine" could represent a sibling's willingness to share their innermost thoughts and feelings, thereby increasing intimacy and trust between them.
The chorus, "So who's gonna love you now baby? When you're done fighting that war at sea, get on that ship and sail back to me" could signify the separation that comes with growing up and finding one's own path. However, despite this, the message is clear that family always remains a constant support system, a safety net that will always be there when things get tough.
In summary, Little Birdy's "Brother" is a poignant song about family, the bonds between siblings, and the importance of unconditional love and support in life's journey.
Line by Line Meaning
My Brother he taught me how to fly
My older sibling taught me how to explore and achieve my full potential
My Papa he taught me how to cry
My father taught me how to express my emotions and be vulnerable
Wait for me, wait for me to show you
Be patient with me, and I'll demonstrate and teach you what I've learned
My Mama she touched me down my soul
My mother provided me with spiritual guidance and nurtured my inner being
And I feel it
I am deeply affected by her love and teachings
I feel it most
Above all else, I am moved by my mother's impact on my life
So show me your soul and I'll show you mine
If you reveal your true self to me, I'll do the same and we can connect on a deeper level
So who's gonna love you now baby?
After all that you've been through, who will give you the love and support you deserve?
When you're done fighting that war at sea
Once you've overcome your struggles and challenges
Get on that ship and sail back to me
Return to me, and I'll be here to offer you comfort and love
Get on that ship and sail back to me
I'll be waiting for you when you're ready to come back
Lyrics © Sony/ATV Music Publishing LLC
Written by: KATY STEELE
Lyrics Licensed & Provided by LyricFind
@archiekfilms
Been listening to this song since I was born, and I’m 13 now and still love it sooo much! 💕
@moorey21
Just bloody love this song, she's just amazing!
@AfricanMetalHead15
this song played at one of my good mates funerals, R.I.P brother
@AuntyShaSha01
What a breathe of fresh air to hear a such a great retro sound... Tweet so sweet Little Birdy!
@701scorpion
my favorite band of all time, i've been following since i fell in love with "baby blue" in high school. ive loved every thing these guys do. just pure amazing and talented musicians and keep surprising me with every new release over the yrs. thank you little birdy!!
@AlanaM1986
Go Little Birdy....Absolute amazing song, beautiful lyrics, fantastic music and yay for the PK guest spot!!!! Can't wait for the album guys lots of love Ax
@ThreeRedButtons
I woke up with this song in my head. I think this is my favourite of their video clips. It's so down to earth and personal.
@MrPotballs
I'm Irish and a mate told me about this great band he had seen in Australia he showed me this song. The song had 200k views then, I can't stop listening to it here I come 300k views ;)
@tracid303
Fantastic everyone in the steel family is talented!!! katie especially!!
@frrefireyt.2189
YES.